The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-05-12
PETER NEY,S BONES.

In
ExHUMING THE RoDY TO SEE IF
IT WAS NAPOLEON's MARSHAL.
A Belief that has Existed for Many
Years in North Carolina where Peter
Ney Taught School, Fallen to Pieces.
THIRD CREEK, N. c., May 3.-Sev-
eral prominent physicians of the
Salisbury section, some time since, de-
cided to exhume the remains of Peter
S. Ney from their grave near this
place, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether they are those of the famous
Marshal Ney, of France, who COM
manded the Old Guard at Waterloo.
Of all the romances which have had
their inception IN North Carolina this
is one of the greatest. In 1916 Ney
appeared in this State. He was a
singular man, and from the very first
attracted attention, although he used
all possible means to avoid publicity.
He taught school in Iredell and Rowan
counties, aud among his pupils were
men who afterwards became promin-
ent. Certain facts were ascertained
about this singular man which fixed
the belief in the neighborhood that he
was really Marshall Ney, in spite of
the historical fact that Ney was duly
shot in Paris. For years the matter
has been discussed, not only here, but
in all parts of the country and abroad.
4 DR.. Lyman Draper, President of the
Wisconsin Historical Society. has
taken deep interest in the matter, and
the past two years a great deal has
been written on the subject. AT the
special request of DIR. Draper, some of
the most prominent physicians of
Salisbury agreed to exhume the body
and to make careful examination of
the skull. Marshall Neys' skull was
trephined, and if this skull was found
to have been similarly operated upon
it would be practically conclusive
, proof.
Among the pieces of evidence to aid
, the assertion made by many here that
, Marshall Ney was this school teacher
, was this:
A Frenchman from an adjoining
county who had beea a soldier under
, Marshall Ney and afterwards moved
to America, was at public gathering
, in Statesville one day and recognized
, the school teacher as his old comman-
, der He threw up his hands and ex-
claimed Mon Dieu! Marshal Neyr
. Without demonstration, Ney called
: his name, and with his right hand
waived him off, placing the index
{ finger over his mouth, Indicating sill
, ence.
Both men soon left the crowd and
were afterwards seen in private con-
. ference.
| Four days after the battle of Water
f. loo Marshal Ney, III speech before
D the Court of Peers, adyised a treaty OF
/ peace, and there publicly announced
/, his determination to go to America,
thus showing his attention was turned
towards this country.
A gentleman who nursed Peter
Ney and was with him in death and
e at his burial, said to-day that Ney was
perfectly conscious at the time and
that he talked about his wife and
: children, and stated several times
;. while on his death bed that he was
. Marshal Ney and repeated it not an
a hour before death. In dressing him
= for burial he found that Ney had been
/ wounded on the thigh, neck, side and
It wrist, and had a large scar, ike a
O sabre cut, on the head.
&c After consultation, this day was de-
s cided upon for the exhumation, and at
: an early hour the citizens OF the sur
r rounding country and neighboring
$ towns began to come in, and soon a
@ large crowd had gathered around the
J. quiet little country church. In the
n assemblage were many of Neys pupils,
# these being old men now, their ages
II ranging from sixty to seventy five
years.
/ At / o'clock the physicians in charge
# announced that hey had no pecuniary
# interest in the matter, and that the
10 exhumation was merely in the interest
If OF history. When the grave was open
ed nothing was found except a few of
the largest bones, some coffin nails
. and q small remnant of one plank.
The gentlemen in charge made the
following report:
~ ~ "The undersigned physicians wish
~ y. to state that, according to previous
= notice we did to-day cause to be ex.
I! - r. humed the remains of Peter S. Ney,
u in the presence of great many wit
~ nesses, some of them from Washington
~ ~ d. c.. Raleigh, n. c., and other parts
- ,e of the country. We found some Of
III the bones only, and these in state OF
such decay that we cannot state posi-.
lively whether the skull had ever been
trephined or not. We made diligent
soorob for tho buI1otr cold RI havd haen